Will the Lancashire Encounter Festival continue as planned this weekend?

Following Her Late Majesty’s death last Thursday, a decision to continue with the events has been taken by Preston City Council.

A tribute to Her Late Majesty is being planned within the Torchlight Procession, taking place from Moor Park to Preston Bus Station on Saturday, September 17.

Cabinet Member for Culture and Arts, Councillor Peter Kelly, said: “Under the current sad circumstances, we have conducted lengthy conversations around what would be fitting in this time of national mourning.

“However, the Lancashire Encounter Festival has been planned for months with a lot of hard work behind the scenes to make the three-day event a worthy attraction for the people of Preston and wider Lancashire.

“The Council also feels that the economic benefit to the businesses in and around the city centre, is very much warranted during the recovery period following the Covid pandemic.

“We have also ensured that we respect the current period of mourning by paying our respects to Her Late Majesty within the Torchlight Procession and within the speeches that will open the event on Friday.”

Held every two years, Lancashire Encounter was established in 2015 as a legacy of the Preston Guild celebrations, aimed at cultivating friendships and fantastic city vibes.

Lancashire Encounter Festival will be held at Preston Covered Market on Friday, September 16. City centre parking closest to the event can be found here and many of the shows will be outdoors on Preston Flag Market and Winckley Square.

There are full details for the Lancashire Encounter Festival at their website: https://www.lancsencounter.co.uk/